(VIDEO) Muhammad Erry Hidayat Follows in His Father’s Footsteps and Wins Weightlifting Gold at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

The Malaysian lifter claimed the title on Monday ahead of India’s Valluri Ajaya Babu. Here’s everything you need to know.

The Men's 79kg Weightlifting competition at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games produced one of the event's most memorable family stories.

Malaysia's Muhammad Erry Hidayat captured the gold medal, following in the footsteps of his father, Hidayat Hamidon, who also won Commonwealth gold for Malaysia at Kuala Lumpur 1998.

With his victory, Erry Hidayat not only reached the top of the podium but also carried on a family legacy that had waited 28 years to be repeated.

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The Canadians showcased consistency across all four apparatuses to reach the podium for the second straight day, finishing behind a dominant Australia, which claimed gold with 158.400 points. England rounded out the podium in third with 154.300.

A GOLD MEDAL THAT KEEPS THE FAMILY LEGACY ALIVE

After winning the silver medal at Birmingham 2022, Erry arrived in Glasgow determined to change the color of his medal. The Malaysian lifter achieved his goal with a remarkable performance, lifting 147 kilograms in the snatch and 183 kilograms in the clean and jerk, for a total of 331 kilograms, enough to claim the 79kg division title. Beyond the gold medal, his victory made him part of an exclusive group of father-and-son Commonwealth Games champions.

MALAYSIA CELEBRATES A NEW CHAPTER IN ITS HISTORY

Muhammad Erry’s gold medal represents much more than a sporting achievement. The Malaysian weightlifter delivered under pressure with a strong performance against a field of top-level competitors, including India’s Valluri Ajaya Babu with 330 kg (149 and 181), who earned the silver medal, while England’s Christopher Murray with 325 kg (148 and 177) completed the podium with bronze.

Erry’s triumph highlights the continued growth of Malaysian weightlifting and cements a story of perseverance, talent, and family legacy that now stands among the most memorable moments of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.